Continuous rod machine arrangement for producing nonwoven filters

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a nonwoven fiber composite for the manufacture of filters in the tobacco industry, wherein the method feeds separated fiber materials to a fluidized bed and the separated filter material inside the fluidized bed are transported to a rod-forming device, essentially by a transport air flow flowing in the direction of the rod-forming device and the filter material is compiled on the rod-forming device prior to forming the compacted fiber filter elements.

1. An arrangement of a continuous rod machine for use in the tobacco industry, comprising:
 at least one filter-material feeding device comprising a metering element for dispensing metered amounts of separated filter material; 
 a continuous-rod forming device having a conveying direction along which a continuous filter rod is formed; 
 a fluidized bed for transporting the filter material from the filter material feeding device to the continuous rod-forming device; 
 a suction belt conveyor for compiling the filter material received from the fluidized bed, said suction belt conveyor moving in the conveying direction of the continuous rod device; and 
 a format belt on which compiled filter material is deposited as a compacted fiber rod, the format belt being arranged behind the suction belt conveying in the conveying direction of the continuous rod device where the continuous rod-forming device forms a continuous fiber filter rod from the compacted fiber rod. 
 
     
     
       2. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter material feeding device further comprises at least one conveying element. 
     
     
       3. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one conveying element comprises at least one roller. 
     
     
       4. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter material feeding device supplies the separated fibers to the metering element. 
     
     
       5. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluidized bed comprises a filter material directing channel. 
     
     
       6. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluidized bed is a filter material directing channel. 
     
     
       7. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluidized bed comprises a curved portion, initially transporting the fluidized filter material in a downward direction then transitioning to a horizontal position before subsequently directing the fluidized filter material in an upward direction. 
     
     
       8. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 7 , wherein the curve comprises an elliptical shape increasing in radius in the transporting direction. 
     
     
       9. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the filter material feeding device further comprises a filter material separating device. 
     
     
       10. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 9 , wherein the filter feeding device separating device comprises a fiber crusher. 
     
     
       11. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 10 , wherein the fiber crusher comprises an element selected from the group consisting of at least one cutting drum and at least one hammer crusher and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       12. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claims 9 , wherein the filter material feeding device meters the filter material to the separating device. 
     
     
       13. The continuous rod machine arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the arrangement further comprises at least two filter material feeding devices.